


Pretty Boy

by meredithxgreys



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Andrew in jail, F/M, Fluff and Angst, he misses meredith, what should have happened
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-03-06 16:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18855034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meredithxgreys/pseuds/meredithxgreys
Summary: An alternate ending to the finale (15x25).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help but write this, aka the better ending of the finale :)

Andrew’s first night in jail had been an eventful one. It took a few hours to get through the process of getting processed into the jail. Those few hours weren’t too terrible. The guard that was assigned to do Andrew’s processing was a young and eager guy, and Andrew talked to him through most of the process. It was great up until he had to strip, then bend over and cough. Andrew suddenly couldn’t talk to the guard anymore, knowing that the guard had seen him like that. Andrew didn’t realize that was something they actually do, he just thought it was to add to the comedy of shows and movies.

After he had been processed, things continued to be interesting. He immediately went to his little bed he got assigned and decided to stay there, not wanting to get into trouble or cause any problems. It didn’t take long for everyone to pick out the newbie, and he felt like he was back in high school. All the stares and whispering.

When he walked into the little cafeteria for dinner, he felt naked. Everyone was staring at him, some even pointing. He ducked his head and scurried into the line.

One look at the food made him lose his appetite. It looked like slop. It was nowhere near the food he was used to. Not even the hospital food ever smelled or looked this bad, and hospital food is disgusting. He grabbed a tray anyways, he had no choice but to eat or he would starve.

The stares weren’t as bad after he got through the line, but they were still there. It was like they didn’t even try to hide the fact that they were staring and talking about him. There had to be some reason he was the one being talked about, because he doubts he was the only new inmate today. There definitely had to be more.

He plopped himself down at an empty table, and just hoped he wasn’t sitting in someone’s spot. He wasn’t looking to cause trouble and wanted to avoid it if at all possible. He just wanted to serve his time or whatever and get the hell out of here.

He plans on calling Carina after the bail hearing in the morning so she can post his bail and he can get out of here, till the trial at least. All he wants is to have the love of his life back in his arms. He hadn’t realized how much he would miss her. She had avoided him for the past few days anyway, and that stung. Him actually not being able to catch glimpses of her in the hallway or hear her gorgeous laughter from around the corner even worse. He didn’t care if she wasn’t ready to say it back, he just had to get it out there. He felt like he was lying to her by not saying it. So, he told her.

Now he’s here. The last time they had a conversation was the forced one when he informed her of what he had done. It didn’t even feel like an actual conversation because Catherine was breathing down his neck and there was glass separating them. So their last actual conversation was when he told her that he loves her. Even that didn’t feel like a full conversation because she had come in to justify her actions, which then turned into him basically saying how amazing she was and telling her those three special words. Then she ran off. And now, until he posts bail, all of their conversations would be through a glass. That’s even if she still wants to talk to him at this point.

There’s a few clanks of tray being set down, and he looks up to find a bunch of rougher looking guys sitting around him, all with their eyes on him.

Andrew clears his throat and avoids eye contact with those around him. “Uh, am I in your spot? Because I’ll move. It’s not a problem, really.”

The one to his right huffs. “Pretty boy seems a little scared, wouldn’t you agree?”

Andrew can see out of the corner of his all the other nod in agreement. This is just great. He has only been in here a few hours and have already gotten a nickname as well as being seen as scared. This can only get worse. “No, not scared.”

The one across from him cocks his head to side. It reminds him of how he always does that to Meredith when he is trying to convince her of something. It works like a charm, and she usually gives in to him. If only he could be with her right now. “So, pretty boy, are you all just looks? Or are you a little tough too?”

Andrew swallows lightly and glances at his biceps. He knows the jumpsuit is a little baggy, but you could probably tell he works out. That doesn’t mean he is tough, but rather that he has strength. He doesn’t really consider himself tough at all. He just hopes that will be the right answer to get them to leave him alone and not cause trouble. “I-I guess just looks.”

The one to his left raises his eyebrow. “So you probably did something stupid to get yourself tossed in here, huh?”

Stupid isn’t the right word. Neither is brave. Noble, maybe? He just wanted to protect the love of his life. He definitely wouldn’t tell these people he took the blame for his girlfriend to save her. No matter how he would say that, he knows they would somehow make him seek weak because of it, and he does not want to become a target. “Pretty much.”

“What kind of stupid?” One of the others questions.

He shrugs, not wanting to give away too much. They will probably will find out eventually, but he wants to get adjusted to his new life first before being picked on.

“Come on pretty boy, just tell us. We will make your life hell if you don’t”

Andrew knows they will make his life hell either way. He has a choice to lie and be left alone. If is lie is found out, then they will go after him for sure. The will go after him if he tells the truth too, so either way it’s a lose-lose situation. He has no idea what to say. “I, uh, I did um, I-“

He is cut off by one of the guards letting the inmates know that dinner time is over and that it’s time to leave. Andrew silently thanks the Gods for saving him from a conversation he didn’t want to have. He grabs his tray that he had barely touched and moves swiftly to the exit. He dumps his food and places the tray on top of the self where everyone else is placing theirs before slipping out and heading back to his cot.

He knows that they can easily find him, but at least he will get time to think of a better answer. He lays down on the uncomfortable cot, and his mind floats to Meredith.

She is the love of his damn life. There is no doubt in his mind about that. He is in jail right now because he wanted to protect her. When Sam was deported, he thought of going to Switzerland with her, but decided against it. He’s so glad he didn’t go with her, because he wouldn’t be with Meredith if he had. He just can’t help but think of how he wouldn’t move out of the country for Sam, but is willing to give up his career and go to jail for Meredith without thinking twice about it. There isn’t a single doubt in his mind that she isn’t the love of his life.

The major downfall of this though is that he could possibly be without Meredith for years. He can barely stand a few days, so this is about to be the longest few years of his life. He knows that he’d rather suffer in here rather than her for many reasons. He cannot protect her if she is in prison, and he doesn’t want to see her get hurt. Also, she’s a mother to three gorgeous kids, who already don’t have their father in their life. He couldn’t imagine the pain they have already been through at such a young age, and he doesn’t want it to be worse by them losing their mother.

Those three kids won’t know him now, but he will win them over whenever he gets out. They will be older, and a little more understanding then, so it may be easier. He’s going to lose his license, so he can just stay home and help Mer with the house and take care of the kids. He wouldn’t mind that. He would get to spend one-on-one time with the kids, and he could teach them all the sports or help them study. Whatever they need. He could almost start to picture his life in ten years with them, except his thoughts are interrupted.

The guards are letting the inmates know that it is shower time. Being in here not even a full day yet and he can tell they are very strict on the schedule. So he grabs his basics the gave him, and works his way to the bathrooms.

There’s a small line, but he doesn’t mind too much. Someone pushes past him, effectively cutting him in line. He keeps quiet and reminds himself it’s only his first day here, and to not cause any trouble.

He can’t help but notice how pretty much all the guys are chilling in towels or completely naked. Andrew can’t help but feel awkward. He’s usually a pretty confident guy, but he just can’t in this situation. It’s just too much.

A shower opens up and he’s next in line. He scurries in, and undresses quickly. He just wants to get this done and over with as fast as possible. He quickly washes and rinses his hair. He knows it will be fluffy in the morning since he doesn’t have his typical hair products. That’s something small he will miss.

Once he finishes, he pulls his boxers and his shirt on before stepping out of the shower. Everyone else just seems to walk out freely, but he doesn’t think he can bring himself to do that just yet. Of course, as he’s walking out he bumps into the group from lunch.

“Awww, pretty boy is a little shy, huh?” He shouts, ensuring everyone nearby heard.

Now his nickname is official, and he can bet many people are going to start calling him that. Great. Just great. He ducks out of there without a word. He finds his cot quickly and lies down.

He just has to accept that this is his life now. It’s out of his hands at this point. He runs his hand over his face. How he wishes he was in Meredith’s bed right now. It’s not only huge, but its super comfy and warm. The best part about it though is Meredith.

When they started dating, she didn’t come off as the touchy, cuddly type. He was totally fine with that, but she constantly surprised him. Often she would grab his hand to hold. The longer they dated, the more often she did it. After they had sex for the first time, the two of them cuddled for a long while. Her in his arms is way better than he could have imagined. She fit him perfectly.

He will definitely be counting down the days till he can hold his girl in his arms again. Hopefully it isn’t so long that he forgets what it feels like, because he may not survive. Andrew drifts off to sleep while imagining Meredith is here lying next to him.

……

Andrew is finally back to his little space that he can call his for the time being. This morning had been rough. Andrew is used to getting up early, but he didn’t sleep well at all. The cot was so uncomfortable and his mind kept drifting to Meredith.

Then he had breakfast, which was better than the slop they had served for dinner the night before. Everyone left him alone, but he could still feel some stares piercing the back of his head. He just hoped someone new came so he could not be the center of gossip anymore.

After breakfast, he cleaned himself up some for his bail hearing. His bail was set at 50,000 dollars. He knows he only has to pay ten percent to get out on bail, but he doesn’t have five thousand dollars’ worth of cash lying around. He’ll have to call Carina to get her to help him, but he isn’t even sure she’s in the states right now, let alone answer a call from a prison.

He may call Meredith just to hear her voice, but she may not pick up either. There’s no way he is going to waste his one call on someone who may not pick up. He decides he will figure out who to call later. Right now, he just wants to lie down.

When he got back from his bail hearing, lunch had already started so he hurried and got him some food. It was sandwiches, which is probably the best thing he has eaten since he got in here. Of course, his lunch didn’t go uninterrupted.

The gang had joined him again. The questioning was the similar. They didn’t directly ask him what he did, rather asked him more about his life and who he is. Andrew’s not stupid, he knows exactly what they are trying to do. So, he dodged as many questions as he could. He had to answer a few so it didn’t seem like he was completely dodging them.

Now he was laying back down on his little cot and trying to process what happened today. Today was a little better than yesterday, but it was still shitty. Lately, he had grown used to Meredith cheering him up on his crappy days. That would no longer be happening. He misses her deeply. He doesn’t think he’ll survive this if they never talk or she doesn’t come to visit. He knows what he did was stupid, but he did it for her. The love of his life. The woman he sees his future with. The woman who has the three cutest kids that he can’t help but hope but become a father figure to one day. He just can’t see his life without her now.

“Inmate DeLuca.” A guard’s stern voice breaks his thoughts.

He immediately sits up on the bed. “Yes sir?”

“Someone has anonymously posted your bail. You are being released till your trial.”

Andrew is taken back. “Someone random paid my bail?”

The guard’s stern façade fades a little. “It’s rare, but it happens sometimes. Consider yourself lucky.”

Andrew scrambles to his feet. “I feel very lucky, sir.”

“Alright, follow me.” He motions for Andrew to follow, and Andrew follows closely behind.          

They walk through the middle of the prison up to the front, and they happen to walk past one of the gang who is insistent on finding out about him. “Ooooo pretty boy is in trouble! Pretty boy is in trouble!”

Andrew tries not to laugh at how wrong they are, instead he ducks his head and pretends like he’s upset till he’s out of view of people.

“That’s a pretty good act you got going on, you could be an actor.” The guard smiles to Andrew.

Andrew lets out a sigh of relief. “Yeah.”

The guard hands him regular clothes, and tells him he can go ahead and change while he finishes up the paperwork. Andrew sits on the bench, enjoying the fact that he isn’t being watched by several hundred other men trying to figure him out anymore. It’s such a relief. Andrew hopes for a small sentence so he doesn’t have to deal with it for too long when he has to come back.

The guard opens the door, and he stands out quickly. Andrew thanks him before walking out, being back free.

He only takes a few steps out the door before he recognizes a petite figure pacing back and forth in the lobby. “Meredith?”

Meredith whips her head around, and her face lights up. Before he knows it, she’s flying into his arms.

One of his hands wraps around her lower back, the other on the back of her head, tangling his hand into her soft hair. His face is buried in her neck, and he can’t help but breathe her in. God has he missed her, her smell, her soft hair, everything.

He hears Meredith mumbling. “Andrew, I love you.”

He lets go over her and pulls away. A frown etches across her features. “You, what?”

She giggles that sweet, melodic sound. “Andrew DeLuca, I said that I love you.”

He bites his lip before pulling her back into his arms. This time she wraps her legs around his waist. He could stay like this forever. Forever with her in his arms. It’s perfect.

After a few minutes of holding her, he finally releases her.  His hands never leave her though. He doesn’t think he can stop touching her after not being able to for a while. “How did you know I was getting out? Did you know someone posted my bail?”

She lets out another infectious giggle. “Andrew, I was the one who posted your bail.”

His eyes go wide. “You didn’t have to do that. I will pay you back every-“

“You don’t need to.” She cuts him off. “We are together, and we take care of each other. That’s what couples do. I can’t take care of you if you are in jail.”

He cups her face and strokes her cheek with his thumb. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She smiles, pulling his hand from her face and interlacing them with hers. “Let’s go home.”

He furrows his eyebrows. “Home? Are you taking me to my apartment?”

“My house, you dummy.” She slaps his chest. “We have some things we need to discuss, but right now I just need you.”

He can’t help but smile as she pulls him out of the building. She always manages to make his day even the tiniest bit better.

 


	2. Chapter 2

The car ride back to Meredith’s was silent except for the hum of the car. Andrew hadn’t let go of Meredith’s hand since the entered the car. She had briefly moved it to turn once, but her hand quickly found its way back into his.

He was still really giddy over that fact that she had said those three words, those three special words to him. He knew she wasn’t very vocal about her feelings and she had about a thousand walls up. He thought it would have taken her longer to say those words, not that he doesn’t mind them now. It was just unexpected. Meredith Grey loves him.

He still isn’t sure if he is dreaming or not. This would be something his mind would do to him to torture him while he can’t have her. He pinches himself again, and he is still in Meredith’s car, with their hands interlaced.

He’s not entirely sure how he was lucky enough to get Meredith. She was perfection in his eyes. What did he do to deserve her? For whatever reason, she picked him over Link. There were some moments when he thought she was going to back away from their relationship, but he was pleasantly surprised many times. Her saying ‘I love you’ back was one of those times.

Meredith pulled into her driveway, and their hands were separated for a few moments till they both were out of the car. Meredith pulled him into her house after unlocking the door, and once they were inside Andrew pulled her into his arms again. He never wanted her to leave his grasp.

She pushes away from him slightly. “Amelia promised the kids that she’d take them to the park, so we have the house to ourselves for a while.”

He can’t control the smirk that comes across his features. He cups her face with one hand and brings their lips together for soft, sensual kiss. His other hand squeezes her hip and brings her closer to him. Her hands find the back of his neck, her fingertips playing with the curls at the nape of his neck. He deepens the kiss and she pushes herself out of his arms.

“We can’t, not right now.” She rests one hand on his chest, keeping distance between them.

“Mer, come on.” Andrew leans in a little closer, hoping to convince her. “You said it yourself, we have the house to ourselves.”

She sighs, and presses a quick, chaste kiss to his lips. “I know, but we really need to talk first. I’ve learned from my past that it is better to talk first.”

Andrew furrows his brows, unsure what he means. “What?”

She pulls him into the kitchen, and his him sit down. She heads over to the coffee pot and starts up some coffee before coming to sit across from him. “Look, with Derek, we tended to burry things with sex. Anytime we had a problem. I’ve learned that it only makes things worse in the long run, so, we aren’t having sex till we’ve talked.”

Andrew is more confused and less confused at the same time. Now he understands why she wants to talk, but not what about. “What are we talking about, exactly?”

“The whole insurance fraud thing. I’m not letting you go down for it.” She sighs.

“Meredith…”

She puts her hand up. “Hang on, it’s been a long day already. Coffee first.”

Andrew shuts his mouth and watches as she carefully makes each of their coffees, knowing exactly how he likes it. She brings them over and places his right in front of him.

She takes a sip before saying anything. “Andrew, you cannot go down for this.”

“I didn’t really have a choice.” He takes a sip of his coffee.

She tilts her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean you didn’t have a choice? Do you not think I can defend and take care of myself?”

Andrew curses himself for saying it the way that he did. “I didn’t mean it like that I swear-“

She crosses her arms across her chest. “Well it sure as hell came off that way so you better explain yourself.”

He clears his throat quickly. “When they pulled me into that room to question me about it, I knew I had two choices. Sell you out, or take the blame. I figured if I sold you out you would probably be pretty pissed. Not that I would blame you if I did that, but I don’t want to lose you Meredith. That would be the quickest way to end our relationship.” Andrew takes a quick sip of his coffee, another thing he missed while he was in jail, but not as much as the woman sitting in front of him. “I took the blame because I saw it as my only option, and in that moment, and even now, it seems like the better option. You have kids, Mer. They already are down a parent so they don’t need to lose their mother because she went to jail.”

“Couldn’t you have played dumb or something?”

Andrew can’t help but laugh at that. “You don’t think they would see straight through that? Bailey knows we are dating.”

“True,” She nods. “I am surprised she thought you actually did it, considering I’ve done some pretty reckless stuff like this in the past.”

“You have?” Andrew asks almost immediately.

Meredith sighs and quickly dismisses the topic. “That’s a conversation for another time.”

Andrew desperately wants to know what she is talking about, so he’ll definitely have to remember to ask her about it later. He moves closer to her, and catches her lips in a kiss. She tastes like the sweet coffee she has. He slides a hand into her hair, pulling slightly. Of course she pulls away after he does this. He just wants to enjoy some time with her.

“Andrew,” She sighs.

“We’ve talked. Can’t we just enjoy ourselves before the kids come home?” Andrew’s mind goes back to earlier, when he thought he wasn’t going to be able to see or hold her for a long time and how much that hurt to think about. Now that they have the chance, he doesn’t want to waste it, especially with the great possibility that he could be going back to jail.

She tucks some hair behind her ear. “You are not going to go down for this.”

“It’s kind of too late Mer, I already am.” He just doesn’t get why she keeps repeating that, like what’s done is done. He’s accepted the fact that he will more than likely going back to jail, and he’s okay with it. Especially since he knows that the woman that he loves will be okay. His first day was pretty rough in there, and he can’t imagine Meredith going through the same. The difference between her and him, is he can’t see her defending herself so easily, unlike him. He can’t protect her if she is in there, so it has to be him.

She watches him for a few moments before speaking. “I mean, I’m going to go and tell them it was me.”

Andrew tries to stifle a laugh. “What’s that going to Meredith? Nothing.”

“It will get you out of the hell hole.” She says quietly.

“Meredith, I am out.” At this point, he has no clue what is running through her head. She is just being ridiculous.

“But you will probably have to go back for a long time if you lose your trial, and I am not letting you take a plea deal for something I did. So, being a well-known, Catherine Fox award winning surgeon, with many more years of experience, I am going to take the blame. I have a better chance of winning less time because I am well known and have been a surgeon way longer. I may not even lose my license; it may just be suspended for a while you will definitely lose yours.”

Andrew’s jaw just dropped. She had though out a whole plan, and from the sound of it she sounds ready to put it in action. “Meredith, I can’t let you do this.”

“Well it’s happening whether you are with me on it or not.” She shrugs.

“Meredith, no.” Andrew raises his voice. “I will not let you do this, you have children.”

Meredith raises her voice equally. “My children are well taken care of, thank you. You aren’t in charge of me, so you cannot tell me what the hell to do.”

Andrew stands, throwing his hands everywhere in frustration. “Meredith, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just want to protect you. We are dating so we should be discussing this, not just you saying you are going to do it.”

She stands as well. “Did we get to discuss it when you decided to throw your career away for me? No.”

Andrew runs his hand through his hair. “That’s true, but it’s not like we could discuss it, but this, we can definitely discuss.”

“I’ve already decided it’s what I am going to do, so there’s nothing to discuss.” She crosses her arms across her chest.

Meredith Grey is incredibly stubborn, and at this moment Andrew wishes she wasn’t so damn stubborn. “Meredith, please.”

“Andrew, don’t make this harder than it already is.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not trying to.”

“But you are, so just go.” She points to the door.

“What?” Andrew blurts. He doesn’t understand why his girlfriend is being like this.

Her face becomes stern, like she is scolding an intern. “I said go. That means leave my house.”

Andrew opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it. He marches out the door, intentionally slamming it hard like a child to make sure she knows he’s upset. She’s the one who wanted to talk, but she’s the only one who really could. He pulls his phone from his pocket, and calls an Uber. The next number he dials is Carnia’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this wasn't as fluffy as the first chapter, but I think that if Andrew could stop Meredith, he would try his hardest to.
> 
> Also, should I make this into a full fledged story (meaning it will last at least all summer) or do you guys want it wrapped up in like two more chapters? I just want to know so I can start planning it out :)  
> *I do have a one-shot half way done and a new story on the way also*


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this chapter! Between being super busy and writers block it took way longer than I anticipated. It is a way longer than usual chapter though, I hope that makes up for it :)

“To Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital, please.” Andrew tells the driver.

Andrew knew it would be best to go to the hospital first, as he could talk to Alex. He had to convince Meredith that her idea was terrible. He felt bad that he was about to go behind her back to her best friend about it, but it had to be done. He couldn’t stand the thought of his girlfriend, who he is very much in love with, going to jail. He just couldn’t.

Now he was dialing Carina, hoping to get some advice from her. After a few rings she picks up. “Andrea! You are not in jail?”

“You know about that?” He sighs.

“The whole hospital heard about it, Andrea.” She clicks her tongue. “How are you? Did you pay the money to get out?”

Andrew wasn’t sure a minute ago if she was in Italy or not, but now he knew for sure she was in the states. She could definitely help him out then. “Actually I am calling because I was wondering if you could help me out.”

“My stupid little brother, it sounds like you got out so what in the world would you need help with?”

Andrew runs a hand through his hair. “Look, I got out but Meredith is trying to take the blame. She has kids, Carina. She can’t go to jail. She just can’t.” He is determined to not let her go to jail, whatever it takes. He is still willing to go down for her.

The line is quiet, and Andrew isn’t sure Carina is still there. After several more moments, she finally speaks up. “You are in love with her, aren’t you?”

Andrew rolls his eyes. “Shut up. Do you think you can help me?”

“Andrea, I’m not sure I can help. I can try.”

The driver stops at the front of the hospital. “Well I am Grey-Sloan Memorial now and I am going to talk to her best friend and try to get him to help as well.”

“Okay Andrea, I am actually about to go into surgery. I will talk to you later.”

“Okay, bye Carina.” He hangs up the phone quickly and pulls off his phone case, finding some cash he hid in there in case he needed it. He was thankful for that because his wallet is still in his locker, if they haven’t cleared it out already.

Since Carina was in surgery, his first task was to find Alex. His first stop was the surgical board to see if he was in a surgery. Andrew stares at the board for several moments, not finding Alex’s name. So he is probably with a patient. Andrew walks down the peds wing, and he doesn’t see Alex anywhere.

Andrew pulls his phone from his pocket to text Alex, which he should have done in the first place. All Andrew can think about is Meredith. The woman who has become the love of his life. He knows he fell hard for her, but who wouldn’t?

“DeLuca?” He hears a familiar voice call him.

“Yes?” He asks, turning around to find Bailey looking very unamused with him. “Oh, hey Doctor Bailey.”

“DeLuca, what are you doing here? I hope you don’t think you are going to win me over and get your job back. That’s not happening.” Bailey raises an eyebrow.

“I actually don’t care about my job right now. I just need to find Alex.” He sighs.

Bailey puts her hands on her hips and steps closer to him. “You don’t care about your job DeLuca? Is that why you were so careless?”

Andrew tries to think of the best way to put what happened without incriminating Meredith or causing her to lose her job. “Chief, I’m here to find Alex because Meredith is trying to take the blame for my stupid, stupid mistake. I don’t want her to end up going to jail, do you think you could help me find Alex? I think he is my best shot at stopping her from doing something incredibly stupid.”

Bailey’s eyes widen and she looks as if she is trying to figure something out. After a moment she seems to snap back to reality, into Chief mode. “Only Meredith Grey would want to do something that damn stupid.” She rolls her eyes, and motions for Andrew to follow her. “But you are right, Alex would definitely be the best choice right now. Maybe even Richard. I would help but I’ve got back to back surgeries in like an hour.” She comes to a stop in front a patient room, and Andrew almost runs smack into her. “Hopefully she will listen to you. It seems like she loves you, but that doesn’t mean she’ll listen, Andrew. It may make her not want to listen to you, especially you always seem to be looking at her with puppy eyes.”

“Puppy eyes?” Andrew questions.

“Like she’s the only woman you’ll ever see. Anyways, Alex is in here with one of his patients.” She points to the door next to her. “I have to go prep for my surgery, but let me know what happens please.”

“Of course, Chief.” Andrew nods as Bailey turns to walk away.

Andrew pushes the door open slightly to see Alex sitting on the end of the bed, clearly engrossed in a deep conversation with the little girl. “Doctor Karev?’

Both of them look up at Adrew, and Alex looks confused. “Yes, DeLuca?”

Andrew clears his throat. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

Alex nods. He whispers something to the little girl before exiting the room and shutting the door softly behind him. “What’s up DeLuca?”

Andrew sighs. “Meredith is trying to take the blame for the insurance fraud. I tried to stop her already and she just won’t listen to me. I need your help. She can’t go to jail. I won’t let her.”

Alex shakes his head. “Of course she would. Figures. Anyways, I will definitely help you. I’d rather not see either of you in jail but when it comes down to it I’m on Meredith’s side.”

Andrew can’t help but think about how far him and Alex have come. It’s sweet to hear Alex say that he doesn’t want him in jail, and he can’t help but smile. “Thanks. She kinda kicked me out of the house earlier, but I will still go over there with you if you want. Unless you just want some one on one time with Meredith to really convince her.” Andrew rambles.

“Let me go over there first for a little bit. Wait a little bit, and pick up pizza or something for the kids.”

“Okay. Sounds good.” Andrew half smiles, and a takes a few steps backwards before turning around.

His next task is to find Richard. He still doesn’t know a whole lot about Richard and Meredith’s relationship, other than Richard treats Meredith like a daughter. That’s probably what made the whole incident of him walking in on him and Meredith more awkward, if possible. Not that he completely minded, because her giggle fit afterwards was about the cutest thing he had ever seen. She was extremely flustered, but she still managed to plant another sweet little kiss on his lips before escaping back to the party with him not far behind her.

Then there was the surgery Richard gave Andrew like a month after he had walked in on them. Andrew thought it was a test about Meredith and not surgery skill, so he ended up embarrassing himself in the OR. Andrew found out later from Meredith that Richard had told Meredith that he was a good man. He couldn’t help but feel good about getting Richard’s approval, seeing as they have a father daughter relationship.

Now, he felt like what was happening now was the biggest test. He knew Meredith would not be happy about him going behind her back to people she loved, but he also figured that they would really want to know. Either way he will have someone mad at him. He’d rather have Meredith not be in jail and be mad at him then her in jail and them be fine. He knew he would have to deal with her being pissed later.

Andrew strolls down the hallways of where he worked just a few days ago. It still hadn’t fully sunk in that he lost his job, and would probably never get it back. It was a lot to take in. He loved the job, sure, but he loved Meredith more. She is the love of his life and he would do anything for her. Especially anything that would benefit her and her kids, or make her happy. Her happiness had become his priority in the recent few months. Just seeing her smile made him smile, and he loves the feeling he gets when he sees her smiling.

Andrew is so deep in his thoughts about Meredith that he practically runs Richard over. “Whoa DeLuca, watch where you are going.”

“I’m sorry, Doctor Webber.” Andrew runs his hand through his hair, knowing it was still a mess. He really just wanted Meredith to realize what a bad idea turning herself in is. That way they could make up and take a nice hot bath with her that he always looks forward too. It’s the being able to hold her in his arms is what he cannot get enough. How lucky he is to be with the Meredith Grey. This is why he had to convince her it was a terrible idea. “Actually, I was looking for you because I need your help with Meredith.”

He slides his glasses down his nose and peers at him over them. “What exactly do you need help with, Andrew? You better not be talking about you know what because it way too early for that and she does have three kids to think about as well.” He glares down at Andrew.

Andrew isn’t one hundred percent sure what exactly sure Webber is talking about, but he has some ideas. They already said their first ‘I love yous’, which can happen really early in some relationships, so Andrew doubts that’s what Webber meant. Andrew will admit that moving in with her has crossed his mind quite a few times, and he has definitely thought about what it would be like to marry Meredith Grey. The latter is probably what Webber meant, but Andrew knows even though he could marry her right this second, they aren’t to that point in their relationship, so he just shakes his head. “No, no, no, that is not what I meant. Meredith is trying to take the blame for the insurance fraud. I will not let her do that Webber, she has three little kids. So I need your help convincing her.”

Webber blinks several times. “She is?”

“Yep.” Andrew rocks his toes.

“Thank you for letting me know, Andrew. I will be having a talk with her because that is just ridiculous.” Webber places a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “Andrew, we will help you out of this. We will figure out how to get the charges dropped or a light sentence where your medical license isn’t revoked. I see how much happiness you have brought to Meredith’s life, so I will not let her lose you.”

“Thank you, sir. Alex is heading to her house now, and was planning on heading there after I pick up a pizza for the kids.” He knows their favorite pizza place since Meredith mentions it all the time. He quickly realized that more often than not, Meredith will just pick up a pizza for dinner. He also remembers that it needs to be half cheese, half pepperoni as Bailey does not like pepperoni, and refuses to eat it even if Meredith picks it off. He very vividly remembers Meredith coming to rant to him about how Bailey suddenly doesn’t like pepperoni anymore, and asking him if that was a typical boy thing to do.

“That’s good. Call me if she still wants to turn herself in after you talk her and I will talk to her.” Richard hands the tablet that he been holding back to a nurse. “Thank you for telling me, Andrew.”

He sighs. “I need all the help I can get.”

“You’ll get it because we all love Meredith and want the best for her after all the horrible stuff she has been through.” Webber taps Andrew’s shoulder twice, and wanders away.

Andrew’s thinks to what Webber said. Meredith had a past, and apparently a big one. Andrew just wishes he understood her past better. There were things he knew, like when the patient attacked her, and there were things that are like legendary myths inside the hospital that he is afraid to ask if it’s true. He knows he will only love her more after learning these things, but it’s obvious that Meredith doesn’t think he will. Sometimes her past will come up, but she will always change the conversation before she gets too deep into it. Andrew knows that this is another reason, a silly one at that, for her not to go to jail. He still has so much to learn about her.

 

Andrew trudges toward the locker room, hoping they haven’t yet taken his stuff from his locker. He’s happy to find that his stuff is still there. He pulls his leather jacket on, and grabs his keys and wallet. He plans on taking another Cab so he can get the pizza.

It’s not long before he is pulling up to Meredith’s house. He spots Alex’s car. Hopefully Alex had talked some sense into her already. He pays the driver swiftly, and steps up to her door with a half cheese, half pepperoni pizza in hand. He swallows roughly before knocking.

After a moment, he can hear Meredith’s voice. “Amelia, why the hell are you knocking when you-“  She swings the door open and stops abruptly. “You aren’t Amelia.”

“No, I’m not.” Andrew says as he rocks back and forth on his toes.

“Why, why are you, why are you here, Andrew?” She stammers.

“I brought pizza for the kids.” He hands her the pizza box. “And I wanted to talk. I don’t like the way we left things earlier, and I’ve cooled down a bit. I’m ready to listen to what you have to say. I still think it’s a terrible idea but I am willing to listen you, Meredith.”

She bites her lip. “I guess you can come in. Amelia is supposed to be picking up the kids and taking them over to Owen’s to see Leo and Allison so I guess she can just take the pizza with her.” She opens the door a little wider, letting him in.

Andrew follows her into the kitchen where Alex is seated at the table. Andrew watches her carefully as she opens the pizza box slightly and smiles. “You remembered?”

“Of course. They are important to you, so that makes them important to me as well. I may not have officially met them as your boyfriend, but I still care.” Andrew takes a seat across from Alex.

Meredith’s gaze is anywhere but on him. “Thank you.” She whispers.

Before anyone can say anything else, Alex’s phone rings. Alex frowns as he picks up his phone. “I have to take this; I’ll be right back.”

Alex scurries out of the room, leaving Andrew and Meredith alone. Andrew just wants to pull her into his arms and hold her. They only way he can do that is if they can talk it out and figure out what they are going to do. “Tell me again why you think you going to jail is a good idea.”

Her eyes finally meet his, and she sighs. “Andrew.”

“Please, Meredith.” Andrew begs.

She doesn’t get a chance to answer as they hear the door open, and a few second later both Amelia and Alex appear in the doorway. “Mer, that was the hospital. Something is going on with Jo, and I need to go right now.” Alex says all in one breath.

“Okay, go. Keep me updated please!” She yells to him as he leaves. Meredith picks up the pizza box and hands it to Amelia. “The kids are ready and in the living room. Andrew got them some pizza. And thanks for taking them for a second time today. I’ll be by to get them in a little bit.”

“It’s no problem, Mer.” Amelia takes the pizza box, and disappears into the living room with Meredith close behind her.

Andrew listens and can hear Meredith’s soft voice talking to her children. He can’t make out what she is saying, but he knows it’s probably something sweet. After a minute, he hears the kids say their goodbyes and the front door shut. Meredith reappears in the kitchen a couple seconds later.

She sighs as she sits across from him, where Alex was sitting. “Look, if I go down for it I’m sure I’ll get a lighter sentence than you would. You will lose your license, no doubt about it.  Me on the other hand, mine will most likely just be suspended. Even if I were to lose it, it wouldn’t bother me too bad.” She pauses, and rolls her eyes. “Actually, it probably would but I’ve had a whole career, you haven’t. There so much you haven’t experienced as a surgeon yet, and I don’t want you to lose that because of me. I think the guilt would eat me alive.”

Andrew reaches across the table and takes her hands in his. “I guess didn’t realize that you would feel really guilty about me going to jail.”

“Are you kidding?” She lets out a huff of air. “That’s one of the main reasons I bailed you out and said you didn’t have to pay me back is because I feel guilty. This is all my fault.”

“Mer, you don’t need to feel guilty.” He squeezes her hands. “I just went along with your plan, so technically I am guilty of something. I feel guilty for not even trying to stop you. I know it was a rash decision, and had we had talked about it and planned it out together I’m sure we could have found another solution that isn’t fraud.”

“True. That really wasn’t the best decision making on my part.” They both laugh. “Anyways, tell me why you are so hell bent on me not going to jail.”

Andrew’s first thought is because he loves her. Which is true, but probably isn’t the answer she is looking for. “Meredith, it’s hell in there. I don’t want you to go through that.”

She tilts her head to the side, and squeezes his hands. “Was it that bad for you?”

He lets out a chuckle. “Yeah, pretty bad. I managed to get a nickname in the little time I was there and people already didn’t seem to like me.”

She raises an eyebrow. “What was the nickname?”

He shakes his head. “Pretty boy.”

Meredith giggles. “That’s silly. I mean, they aren’t wrong, you are very pretty, but still, silly.”

Andrew rolls his eyes. “They didn’t mean it as a compliment, Mer.”

“So?” She shrugs. “You can’t let them think they are getting to you, because then they won’t stop. That’s how bullies work.”

He laughs at her. She’s not wrong either. He thinks now maybe she can handle it better than he thought. “I guess that’s true.”

“Anyways, they are wrong.” She slides her hand up onto his arm and rubs gently. “You aren’t pretty; you are freaking gorgeous.”

Andrew is pretty sure he is as red as a beet. “Not as gorgeous as you, Meredith.”

Her eyes move to their hands. She softly whispers a thank you. Andrew takes a moment to think. If she can agree to certain conditions, he may let her take the blame. She has some very true points, and as always she always surpasses his expectations.

“Meredith,” He starts, gaining her attention. “The only way I am letting you take the blame is under a few conditions.” She nods, urging him to continue. “First, I want us to meet with a lawyer to talk odds and strategies. If that goes well and the lawyer thinks you have a good shot, then you can take the blame. I want to be there every step of the way, no exceptions. Every meeting with your lawyer, court dates, everything. No pushing me away.”

“I think, I think I can agree to that.” She nods.

“That’s not it. I know this one will be easy, but you are going to spend as much time with your kids as possible. They may be losing their mother for a little bit, which sucks. I also want some time with just the two of us, aside from the lawyers and the kids.” He adds the kids part, hoping sometime soon he can start to bond with them. He doesn’t plan on leaving Meredith anytime soon, so he wants to get to know her kids.

“Makes sense. Anything else?”

Andrew thinks for a moment, not wanting to miss anything. “If you are to go to jail, you are to call me every day, no exceptions. I can barely go a day without seeing you, let alone not talking to you.”

Meredith gets up from her spot and moves her way over to where Andrew is sitting. She grabs his face with both hands and places a quick kiss on his lips. “Okay. I can’t go long without talking to you either. It hurt me to avoid you for that week while I sorted out my own crap.”

Andrew smiles as his hands find her hips. “One last thing. It’s not really for me. You need to make sure you tell Alex, Richard, and Bailey what you are doing. They care so much about you, Mer.”

“Of course.” Her hands linger on his face, and they just stare into each other eyes for several moments. Andrew is mesmerized by her. He knows if she goes to jail for any length of time that he is probably going to lose it.

“So we have a deal?” One of his hands leaves her hip and he holds it out between them.

She grabs his hand, pulling him up and you of the chair. Her lips find his again. She pulls back with a huge grin on her face. “Deal.”

Andrew grabs her hips once again, pulling her flush against his chest. She tastes so sweet, and in this moment Andrew knows he wants to do this for the rest of his life. It’s way too early for any of that, but doesn’t mean it’s too early to start planning.

Andrew is brought back by the sensation of her pulling at his curls and his desire for her building. He pulls away, but grabs one of her hands. “Meredith, I am going to make love to you.” Her mouth gapes open, and he just pulls her upstairs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!!!  
> I've got the next several chapters planned out in my head, so as long as I can get the words down it shouldn't be too long before the next chapter :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A pre warning: I know absolutely nothing about law except what I've heard. I did do a bunch of research, but still, I'm not in law school, so it won't be perfect, and of course I'm going to try to make it to fit for what I want out of my story :)

Andrew squeezes Meredith’s hand just a little tighter as they sit down at the lawyer’s office. He doesn’t want to let her go, but he knows he will have to eventually. Just not now. Not while they figure out her fate.

They found one of the best lawyers in Seattle to represent her. He wanted nothing but the best for Meredith, and the lawyer sitting in front of them now was the best of the best. He had called around to several places, along with checking each of the places reviews to make sure he knew what they were getting. He happened to get lucky, and catching them when they had a cancelation. They had just agreed to this last night, and here they were, already talking to the lawyers.

The lawyer was currently reading through the paperwork Meredith had filled out. She had already listened to their story, now she was just trying to pull up Meredith’s background. “Ah, here. I got it. So Ms. Grey,”

“Doctor, please.” Meredith interrupts. She squeezes Andrew’s hand just a little harder.

“Right, sorry Doctor Grey.” The lawyer puts down the papers she was holding. “Okay. So there is a lot here. You have committed a felony, but you really don’t have a past criminal record, so that’s a plus. You seem to be widely known, and have won awards for your work in the medical field. That can also help us here. You were doing it for a good cause as well.”

“That sounds promising.” Meredith half smiles.

The lawyer sighs. “It does, yes, but it does not guarantee anything. It all depends on the judge and the jury you are given.”

“So, what exactly are her chances of winning the case if she were to go to trial?” Andrew asks.

“Like I said, it depends on who you get. Punishment can range from probation, to loss of her license,” Meredith cringes. “To community service, to serious jail time.”

“Okay,” Meredith nods. Andrew glances over at her, and she seems to be processing everything the lawyer said.

Andrew just wants to know everything he possibly can. “So, will she be offered a plea deal?”

“Yes, there’s always a chance for a plea deal. If they are to offer her one, I will go over it with you guys so you understand exactly what you will be signing, if you choose that route. If you choose court, you have a chance of getting even better things, especially with your history, and the reasoning behind the crime, but there is also that chance that it could be way worse. That is always a risk.”

Meredith sighs. “Well, I did commit the crime. So I guess I’ll get whatever punishment they give me.” Meredith bites her lip, and her eyes find Andrew’s.

“Meredith, you did it for a good cause. Your children don’t deserve to lose their mother for who knows how long just because you want to take whatever punishment they give you.” Andrew wants to talk some sense into her. He doesn’t want her to take the plea deal if it’s not a good offer. He wants her to get the best.

The lawyer raises an eyebrow. “You two have children?”

Meredith flinches. Andrew knows this is not easy for her. “No, she has three children. Her husband died four and half years ago, and they are his children. We haven’t been dating for too long.”

“Mr. DeLuca, right? Or is it Doctor?” The lawyer questions.

“It’s Doctor.” Andrew nods.

“Alright, well the fact she has a family can be used as well. A single mother will make the jury feel sympathy for her.”

Meredith shakes her head. “I’d prefer if my marital status and my children weren’t brought up. It still hurts to talk about my dead husband,” Her voices cracks. “And the fact that he didn’t get the chance to raise his children.” Andrew squeezes her hand a little harder, knowing this isn’t the easiest thing for her to talk about. “Also, I do have a wonderful boyfriend. I don’t want to be judged in any way shape or form for him.”

Andrew frowns. “People judge you because of me?”

Meredith looks to the ground, then back at him. “I have had a few people make comments about how I should still be grieving or that you are too young for me.”

“Meredith, don’t listen to them. Their opinions don’t matter. The only thing that matter is that you and I love each other, and we are happy.” Andrew brings their interlocked hands to his face, and he kisses the back of her hand. “I love you Meredith.”

Meredith nods, and wipes a tear from her face. The lawyer clears her throat. “If you are not comfortable with that possibly being brought up, I will try to make sure it doesn’t get brought up, okay? I can’t guarantee anything, but I’m willing to try like hell.”

“Okay,” Meredith pauses, glancing at Andrew again. “Thank you.”

“Alright guys, so is there any more questions?”

Andrew and Meredith lock eyes with each other for a minute. Andrew can’t think of any questions at the moment, but he’s sure he’ll come up with some along the way. Right now, he’s fine with staring into Meredith’s gorgeous blue-green eyes that are currently red with tears in them.

Meredith breaks the eye contact to face the lawyer. “How about Andrew? How much trouble will he be in for lying to the police?”

The lawyer glances between the two of them. “That’s another one. He will more than likely get in trouble for lying, but the punishment varies. He could get jail time, or he could just get a few weeks of community service. It just depends. I wouldn’t worry too much about that though. I would focus on you right now, Meredith.”

“Okay,” Meredith nods. “Is there a good time to turn myself in? Or a good way to do it?”

The lawyer exhales a hug breath of air. “The best time would be early in the mornings, that way you could see a judge and set bail the same day. I would suggest that I call and talk to them, then I would call you and tell exactly where to turn yourself in at, as well as let them know you are coming, so everything will be easier.”

Meredith glances to Andrew. “Tomorrow morning then?”

The lawyer nods. “That could work. The earlier the better. It is a Friday, so they will be super busy, but they usually do bail hearings pretty quickly. If you are lucky, you may never even need to step foot in the prison. It just depends how fast they can get a bail hearing.”

“I would love it if she never ever has to step foot into the prison.” Andrew adds.

“Alright then. Call me in the morning when you are ready for me to make that call.” She stands, reaching her hand over the table.

Meredith stands, taking her hand. “Thank you so much for your help.”

“It’s really no problem. It is my job. Enjoy today, because tomorrow won’t be a fun one.” She smiles softly.

“We will. Thank you again for all the help.” Andrew takes her hand quickly.

Meredith and Andrew walk out of the lawyer’s office hand in hand. They get to her car, and Andrew automatically hops in the driver’s seat. His hand finds her’s, and the ride is silent for several minutes.

“Andrew, what should I tell my kids?” Meredith asks, staring straight ahead.

Andrew glances over at her several times. He’s not sure how much they’ll understand. “Um, I would just say that you are taking care of something important out of town, and you’ll be gone a day or two. I don’t think they understand it if you try to explain it to them. Wait at least until till you know more about what might happen.”

He sees her nod out of the corner of his eye. “I guess I could just tell them I have another patient out of town.”

“Whatever you think will work best, Meredith.” He sighs. “I don’t know them, so I’m not much of any help.”

Meredith squeezes his hand. He can now feel her eyes on him. “I want you to know them, Andrew. You are a part of my life, making you are part of theirs too.”

“Don’t feel like you need to rush me into getting to know your kids because of what is happening, Meredith. I will understand.” No matter how badly he wants to be part of her kid’s lives, he wants to take it at the pace Meredith sets.

“Andrew, I have already told them about us. They know we are dating. I want them to start to see us together. How about we take them to the park together when they get home from school today?”

“I would love that.” Andrew knows he is beaming, but he’s not ashamed of it. When he first starting pursuing Meredith, he wasn’t sure he would ever get to this point. Now that he was here, he was extremely happy. He wouldn’t want to change it. He knows the whole insurance fraud thing will more than likely take up more of their time and energy, especially if she goes to trial, but he is happy just to enjoy today.

The rest of the ride back to Meredith’s is silent. They both flop down on the couch in each other’s arms as soon as they are inside. Andrew holds her tight. He knows she may only be gone for a few hours tomorrow, but it’s a few too many in his opinion.

His lips find her soft ones. He had meant it when he said he would never stop kissing her, because he could easily get lost in the taste of her lips. He does. He’s thought about how he wouldn’t mind doing this for the rest of his life. Her, her kids, and her hectic life. He wants to be a part of it all.   

She slides a hand into his curls, tugging gently. One of his hands cups her face, while the other rests on her hip. She moves to where she is straddling his lap, and he deepens the kiss. His hands roam her body. He’s about to move from her lips to her neck when she pulls away from him.  
She licks her lips. “We have a couple hours before the kids get home.”

Andrew smirks. “The lawyer did say to enjoy the day.” He brings his lips to her neck, finding her sweet spot almost instantly. He pauses to stand, and she wraps her legs tightly around him. He carries her to her bedroom, and presses her softy into the mattress, making love to her multiple times.

 

….

 

They are seated on a park bench right in front of the park, hand in hand, watching her kids play. He knows it’s stupid to worry about, but he is scared that he is going to lose her. He knows that the lawyer said if she goes in early she should get bail before the end of the day, but it still worries him.

This, him sitting there with Meredith watching her kids play is what he wants. Her and her kids. He doesn’t want to lose her in any way, but he has a feeling the universe has other ideas to try to pull them apart. He got the feeling in the car ride to the park that the kids didn’t like him, or the idea of him with their mother. He knows her kids are her priority, so he just has to ask.

“Was it just me, or did you get the feeling they didn’t really like me?”

“My kids?” She raises an eyebrow. “Andrew, they haven’t really gotten the chance to know you. All they know is you were a stinky, sad guy who stayed on our couch for a week. You have to give them time to get to know you. They will love you, I promise.”

“I didn’t exactly get that feeling in the car.” He shakes his head.

“Andrew,” She sighs. “I never said it was going to be easy getting to know my kids and getting them used to you being involved in our lives. Zola, she remembers Derek, and she misses him a lot. She’s young, but it will take some getting used to having you around. None of my kids are really used to having someone in their life who loves their mother, is around constantly and stuff like that. Bailey and Ellis are too young, and they’ve never seen someone involved with me like this. You are the first serious relationship that I’ve had since him. It will just take some adjusting, from all of us.”

Andrew takes a few moments to think about her words. She’s right, it is an adjustment. For her, it’s a first serious relationship since her husband’s death and she has her kids to think about as well. For him, it’s a kind of relationship he’s never been in before. She’s wiser than anyone he has ever dated. She’s also suffered a lot more than the he can understand.

Then, there is her amazing, gorgeous kids. Who they are watching play on the playground at this very moment. The kids he hopes one day will see him as a father figure. He knows it will take time, but it will be worth it in the end. Her and her kids are most definitely worth it.

He bites his lip. “Meredith, I don’t care how long it takes to get them used to me and get to know me. I want you guys in my life, so it’s worth it to me.”

“I’m glad, because I really want you in our lives too.” She rests her head on his shoulder.

He turns to press a kiss to the top of her head. “I love you, Meredith. No matter what happens in the few weeks, I just want you to know that. I’m here for you, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime in the near future. No matter what.”

She lifts her head from his shoulder. “Thank you.” She presses a quick kiss to his lips, and he rests his forehead on hers. “I love you Andrew, and I am so happy you came into my life.”

He presses a kiss to her little nose. “I’m happy I came into your life too.”

Their intimate moment is quickly interrupted. “Mommy?”

Meredith jumps back from Andrew. Andrew watches as Bailey frowns at the odd behavior of his mother for just a second before his face falls flat. “Yes Bails?”

“Mommy, I’m hungry. I want dinner.” He crosses his arms.

“How does pizza sound?” Meredith reaches to rub her son’s arm.

He frowns. “No. I’m tired of pizza. We eat pizza a lot.”

“Honey,” Meredith’s voice softens in a way Andrew had never heard before. “You know Mommy is very busy at times, and that’s just easy to do.”

“You are not busy right now.” Bailey counters and Meredith frowns.

Andrew clears his throat. “I can make dinner, if you want.”

Bailey’s face lights up. “You can? Mommy never makes dinner herself because she always burns stuff!”

Andrew lets out a chuckle. “She’s that bad?”

“Yep.” Bailey giggles. Meredith rolls her eyes.

“Alright, it’s settled then Bailey.” Andrew smiles. He is finally connecting to one of her kids, and who knew it would be easy as cooking, which he can do in his sleep. “I’ll make some of my famous spaghetti. Your mom has had it before, and she loves it.”

He turns to Meredith. “Is it really good Mommy?”

“It is.” She nods. “Now go get your brother and sister, so we can go home and eat some of Andrew’s ‘famous’ spaghetti.”

Bailey runs over to the playground, and Andrew stares at Meredith trying not laugh. “You burn everything?”

She shoves his shoulder. “Shut up. I just never learned how to cook, and obviously I tried to learn but that didn’t work out.”

“Well,” His eyes glaze up and down her body. “There are plenty of other things you are amazing at that make up for it.”

Meredith eyes go wide. Her kids are back now, and she tries to make herself not seem as flustered by adjusting her shirt and fixing her hair. “Alright kids, start walking to the car, Mommy and Andrew will be right behind you.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow at her, but doesn’t say anything as she gets up and grabs her bag. Once the kids are out of ear shot, she speaks. “You are going to have to pay for making me flustered in front of my kids.”

Andrew crosses his arms playfully. “Oh really?”

“Oh yeah. And don’t forget the extra attention you promised me because I’m ‘going to have a rough day tomorrow,’ okay? You’ve got a long night ahead of you.” She winks before turning to walk toward the car, swinging her hips with every step.

Andrew bites his lip and shakes his head. God he loves that woman. He can’t wait till later once the kids are put to bed, but first, he must make it through the dinner he promised the kids. He knows she’ll be secretly teasing him all night, but he wouldn’t want it any other way. They can worry about the upcoming weeks as they come, because right now he is going to enjoy a night with his girlfriend and her kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fluffy/happy ending to a chapter, but cant promise the next chapter will be as fluffy ;)
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
